Search - Bernard Herrmann :: The Trouble With Harry (1998 Re-recording)

Relive the mood of this classic film

www.DavidLRattigan.com | United Kingdom | 03/05/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For anyone affected by the atmosphere of Hitchcock's sorely underrated film, this CD is a necessity. It is one of Herrmann's subtlest, yet most effective, scores, and the opportunity to listen to it again cannot be passed up. It is customary, for fans of the film, to refer to the autumnal New England scenery, but rightly so. It was Hitchcock's choice of location that makes the film, in my opinion, and relistening to Herrmann's music paints the picture all over again, conjuring up (for those who know the film, of course), sumptous images of luscious green meadows, rusty-coloured arbers, and reds, yellows and browns of every description. I cannot get enough of this CD!!!"

The beginning of a beautiful partnership.

bjdonohue | WALDORF, MD United States | 10/19/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Arguably the greatest director-composer relationship in film history began with this project by Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann. Finally available in it's complete form, this discs shows that the two masters hit the ground running. This is a charming, endearing film with a score to match that is wonderfully performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the direction of Joel McNeely. Herrmann's score is at turns playful, lovely, and humorously ominous. For those of us who can't spend an autumn afternoon in New England, this delightful score is the next best thing. An essential and welcome addition to any film score collection."

Good, Not Great Herrmann

Pat Harris | Maine | 04/09/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a pleasant pastoral score, with little themes and motifs bubbling around repeatedly for its duration. Melodic bits evoke the New England countryside in which the film takes place, and small stings of drama represent the mystery surrounding the troublesome body. It's all very understated, though, and its fragmented, "Mickey Mouse" style of following the on-screen action doesn't allow it to build the thematic heft and dramatic cohesion that all of Herrmann's later Hitchcock scores have. In the humor department, both director and composer would surpass this droll effort with the comedy-of-the-absurd of 'North by Northwest' a few years later. Still, not a bad freshman outing for the duo. Joel McNeely and the RSNO have done their usual first-class job, of course, even if the disc as a whole I'd recommend only to Hitchcock/Herrmann completists (not that there aren't quite a few out there...)."